He will take his dinner when he comes in." Mr.Verner bent his head, said the grace, and the dinner began.
Later--but not much later, for it was scarcely dark yet--Rachel Frost was leaving the house to pay a visit in the adjoining village, Deerham.
Her position may be at once explained.

It was mentioned in the last chapter that Mr.Verner had had one daughter, who died young.

The mother of Rachel Frost had been this child's nurse, Rachel being an infant at the same time, so that the child, Rachel Verner, and Rachel Frost--named after her--had been what is called foster-sisters.

It had caused Mr.
Verner, and his wife also while she lived, to take an interest in Rachel Frost; it is very probable that their own child's death only made this interest greater.

They were sufficiently wise not to lift the girl palpably out of her proper sphere; but they paid for a decent education for her at a day-school, and were personally kind to her.